JP2021147285A - Apparatus and method for manufacturing primary coated optical fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an apparatus and a method for manufacturing a primary coated optical fiber, capable of manufacturing a primary coated optical fiber having uniform characteristics in the longitudinal direction.SOLUTION: An apparatus 1A for manufacturing a primary coated optical fiber comprises: a spinning part 10 for melting and spinning an optical fiber preform 2 to form a bare optical fiber 3; an outer diameter measurement part 20 for measuring the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber 3; a directional converter 40 for converting the traveling direction of the bare optical fiber 3; a coating part 60 for forming a coating layer in the outer periphery of the bare optical fiber 3; a moving mechanism 50 for moving the directional converter 40 in the direction of increasing and decreasing the length of the bare optical fiber 3 from the spinning part 10 to the coating part 60; and a control part 70 for controlling the direction and velocity of movement of the directional converter 40 by the moving mechanism 50 on the basis of the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber 3 measured by the outer diameter measurement part 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for manufacturing an optical fiber wire.

The optical fiber wire manufacturing apparatus includes, for example, a heating furnace, an outer diameter measuring instrument, a resin coating apparatus, a cross-linking apparatus, and a pick-up machine. In the heating furnace, the optical fiber base material is spun to form an optical fiber bare wire. The outer diameter measuring instrument measures the outer diameter of an optical fiber bare wire. The resin coating device applies resin to the bare wire of the optical fiber to form a coating. The cross-linking device cross-links the coating resin to obtain an optical fiber strand. The take-up machine takes up the optical fiber wire (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
In the manufacturing apparatus, fluctuations in the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber wire are suppressed by adjusting the take-up speed of the bare optical fiber wire based on the measured value of the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber wire.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-1347

In the manufacturing apparatus, there is a possibility that the characteristics of the optical fiber wire become non-uniform in the length direction due to the fluctuation of the take-up speed of the optical fiber wire.

An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber wire manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method capable of manufacturing an optical fiber wire having uniform characteristics in the length direction.

One aspect of the present invention is a spinning portion for forming an optical fiber bare wire by melt-spinning an optical fiber base material, an outer diameter measuring portion for measuring the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire, and the optical fiber bare wire. At least one direction converter that changes the traveling direction, a coating portion that forms a coating layer on the outer periphery of the optical fiber bare wire, and at least one of the direction converters are the light from the spinning portion to the coating portion. A moving mechanism that moves the length of the bare fiber wire in a direction that increases or decreases, and a moving direction and movement of the direction converter by the moving mechanism based on the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber measured by the outer diameter measuring unit. Provided is an optical fiber wire manufacturing apparatus including a control unit for controlling the speed.

According to this configuration, it is possible to adjust the extraction speed of the bare optical fiber wire from the optical fiber base material without affecting the extraction speed of the optical fiber wire. By adjusting the lead-out speed of the bare optical fiber wire, fluctuations in the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber wire can be suppressed. Further, since the take-up speed of the optical fiber wire can be made constant, the manufacturing conditions of the optical fiber in coating and the like can be stabilized. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture an optical fiber wire having more uniform characteristics in the length direction than before.

It is preferable that the direction converter has a guide groove for guiding the bare optical fiber wire, and an outlet for introducing a fluid for floating the bare optical fiber wire is formed in the guide groove.

The moving mechanism may be configured so that one of the direction converters can be moved.

A plurality of the direction changers may be provided, and the moving mechanism may be configured so that the plurality of direction changers can be moved.

The control unit increases the length of the optical fiber bare wire from the spinning portion to the coating portion by using the direction converter when the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire becomes larger than the first reference value. When the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire becomes smaller than the second reference value, the direction converter is moved to the length of the optical fiber bare wire from the spinning portion to the coating portion. It may be configured so that it can be moved in the direction of shortening the size.

Another aspect of the present invention includes a step of melt-spinning an optical fiber base material in a spinning portion to form an optical fiber bare wire, a step of measuring the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire, and a step of measuring the optical fiber bare wire. It includes a step of converting the traveling direction by a direction changer and a step of forming a coating layer on the outer periphery of the bare optical fiber in the coating portion, and at least one of the direction changers is the same from the spinning portion to the spinning portion. It is possible to move in the direction of increasing or decreasing the length of the optical fiber bare wire to the coating portion, and the moving direction and moving speed of the direction converter are adjusted based on the measured value of the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire. , Provide a method for manufacturing an optical fiber wire.

According to the manufacturing method, the extraction speed of the bare optical fiber wire from the optical fiber base material can be adjusted without affecting the extraction speed of the optical fiber wire. By adjusting the lead-out speed of the bare optical fiber wire, fluctuations in the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber wire can be suppressed. Further, since the take-up speed of the optical fiber wire can be made constant, the manufacturing conditions of the optical fiber in coating and the like can be stabilized. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture an optical fiber wire having more uniform characteristics in the length direction than before.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical fiber wire manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method capable of manufacturing an optical fiber wire having uniform characteristics in the length direction.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the schematic structure of the manufacturing apparatus of the optical fiber wire of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the 1st example of the direction changer in the manufacturing apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the 2nd example of the direction changer in the manufacturing apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the cross-sectional structure of the direction changer in the manufacturing apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing explaining the operation of the direction changer in the manufacturing apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing explaining the operation of the direction changer in the manufacturing apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing explaining the operation of the direction changer in the manufacturing apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of an optical fiber wire. It is a schematic diagram which shows the schematic structure of the manufacturing apparatus of the optical fiber wire of 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the schematic structure of the manufacturing apparatus of the optical fiber wire of the 3rd Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing explaining the operation of the direction changer in the manufacturing apparatus of 3rd Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing explaining the operation of the direction changer in the manufacturing apparatus of 3rd Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing explaining the operation of the direction changer in the manufacturing apparatus of 3rd Embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a schematic configuration of a manufacturing apparatus 1A, which is a manufacturing apparatus for an optical fiber wire of the first embodiment.
The manufacturing apparatus 1A includes a spinning unit 10, an outer diameter measuring unit 20, a cooling unit 30, a direction converter 40 (40A, 40B, 40C), a moving mechanism 50, a coating unit 60, a control unit 70, and the like. It includes a hardened portion 80, a take-up portion 90, a dancer pulley 100, and a take-up portion 110.

The spinning unit 10 includes a holding unit 11 and a heating furnace 12. The holding portion 11 holds the optical fiber base material 2. The heating furnace 12 includes a heater 13 for heating the optical fiber base material 2. The spinning unit 10 forms an optical fiber bare wire 3 by heating the optical fiber base material 2 with a heating furnace 12 and performing melt spinning.

The outer diameter measuring unit 20 measures the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3. It is preferable that the outer diameter measuring unit 20 can measure the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 without contacting the optical fiber bare wire 3. As the outer diameter measuring unit 20, for example, a measuring device including a light source (laser light source or the like) and a detector can be used. The light source and the detector are arranged so as to face each other. The measuring device irradiates light from a light source, receives forward scattered light with the detector, and measures the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 by analyzing the pattern or intensity thereof.
The outer diameter measuring unit 20 outputs a measurement signal to the control unit 70 based on the measured value of the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3.

In the manufacturing apparatus 1A, the outer diameter measuring unit 20 is provided between the spinning unit 10 and the cooling unit 30, but the outer diameter measuring unit 20 is installed between the spinning unit 10 and the cooling unit 30. Not limited to this, any position between the spinning portion 10 and the coating portion 60 may be used.

The cooling unit 30 is a cooling cylinder that cools the bare optical fiber wire 3. The cooling unit 30 can cool the optical fiber bare wire 3 passing through the internal space. When the optical fiber bare wire 3 is allowed to cool, the cooling unit may not be provided.

The direction converter 40 changes the traveling direction of the optical fiber bare wire 3. In the manufacturing apparatus 1A, three direction changers 40 are used. These direction converters 40 are referred to as a first direction converter 40A, a second direction converter 40B, and a third direction converter 40C, respectively, from upstream to downstream in the drawing direction.

The first direction converter 40A changes the direction of the bare optical fiber wire 3 drawn vertically downward (first path L1) from the optical fiber base material 2 by 90 ° to make it horizontal (second path L2). Aim. The first direction converter 40A is a fixed (non-movable) direction converter.
The surface defined by the first path L1 and the second path L2 is called P1. The X direction (first direction) is a direction along the second path L2 in the surface P1. The Y direction is a direction orthogonal to the X direction and is a direction perpendicular to the surface P1.

The second direction converter 40B directs the optical fiber bare wire 3 in the direction opposite to the second path L2 (third path L3) by changing the direction of the optical fiber bare wire 3 by 180 °. The second direction converter 40B is a movable direction converter. The second direction converter 40B can move in the direction (X direction) approaching and separating from the direction converters 40A and 40C. The moving direction (X direction) of the second direction converter 40B is a direction for increasing or decreasing the length (hereinafter, referred to as “path length”) of the optical fiber bare wire 3 from the spinning portion 10 to the coating portion 60.

Of the X directions, the + X direction is the direction in which the second direction converter 40B is separated from the direction converters 40A and 40C, and is the direction in which the path length of the optical fiber bare wire 3 is lengthened (increased). Of the X directions, the −X direction is the direction in which the second direction converter 40B approaches the direction converters 40A and 40C, and is the direction in which the path length of the optical fiber bare wire 3 is shortened (decreased).

The third direction converter 40C makes the optical fiber bare wire 3 (third path L3) vertically downward (fourth path L4) by changing the direction by 90 °. The third direction converter 40C is a fixed (non-movable) direction converter.

The structure of the direction changer 40 will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a direction changer 401 which is a first example of the direction changer 40. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a direction changer 402 which is a second example of the direction changer 40. FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a cross-sectional structure of the direction changer 40.

As shown in FIG. 2, the direction changer 401 has a disk shape, and a guide groove 21 is formed in a range corresponding to at least 1/4 circumference of the outer peripheral surface 20a. As shown in FIG. 3, the direction changer 402 has a disk shape, and a guide groove 21 is formed in a range corresponding to at least 1/2 circumference of the outer peripheral surface 20a. The guide groove 21 guides the optical fiber bare wire 3.
The direction converters 401 and 402 are installed in a posture in which the central axial direction coincides with the Y direction and the radial direction D1 (see FIG. 4) is directed along the surface P1 (see FIG. 1). The direction along the outer peripheral surface 20a of the circular shape in a plan view is called the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, at the bottom of the guide groove 21, an outlet 22 for a fluid (air or the like) that floats the optical fiber bare wire 3 wired along the guide groove 21 is formed along the guide groove 21. ing. The outlet 22 is formed over the entire length of the guide groove 21, for example.
The direction changer 40 (401, 402) discharges (introduces) the fluid (for example, air) in the space (fluid reservoir 25) secured inside the direction changer 40 into the guide groove 21 through the outlet 22. can.

The guide groove 21 is preferably formed so as to be inclined with respect to the radial direction D1 so that the distance between the inner side surfaces 21c and 21c (dimension in the Y direction) gradually increases toward the outer side in the radial direction. It is preferable that the two inner side surfaces 21c and 21c have the same inclination angle θ1 with respect to the radial direction D1.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the direction changer 401, the optical fiber bare wire 3 travels along the guide groove 21 to change the direction by 90 °. Therefore, the direction changer 401 can be used as the direction changers 40A and 40C shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, in the direction changer 402, the optical fiber bare wire 3 travels along the guide groove 21 to change the direction by 180 °. Therefore, the direction changer 402 can be used as the direction changer 40B shown in FIG.

In the manufacturing apparatus 1A, the direction changer 40 is provided between the cooling unit 30 and the coating unit 60, but the installation position of the direction changer 40 is not limited to between the cooling unit 30 and the coating unit 60. , Any position between the spinning portion 10 and the coating portion 60 may be used.

As shown in FIG. 1, the moving mechanism 50 includes, for example, a guide rail 51 and a driving unit 52 such as a motor. The guide rail 51 is formed, for example, along the X direction. The drive unit 52 can move the second direction converter 40B in the X direction along the guide rail 51 by applying a force in the X direction to the second direction converter 40B, for example.

The coating portion 60 coats the outer periphery of the bare optical fiber wire 3 with a coating material. As a result, a coated optical fiber 4 having a coating layer formed on the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber bare wire 3 is obtained.
The coating material may be, for example, a thermosetting resin such as a silicone resin or an epoxy resin, or an ultraviolet curable resin such as a urethane acrylate resin. The coating may be, for example, a two-layer coating. In the two-layer coating, a material for a primary coating layer having a low Young's modulus is applied to the inside, and a material for a secondary coating layer having a high Young's modulus is applied to the outside.

The control unit 70 controls the moving direction and moving speed of the second direction converter 40B by the moving mechanism 50 based on the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 measured by the outer diameter measuring unit 20. The control unit 70 can determine the movement direction and the movement speed of the second direction converter 40B in the X direction by, for example, operating control of the rotational force transmission mechanism of the drive unit 52 (motor), rotation speed control, and the like.

The curing unit 80 is, for example, a thermal cross-linking furnace (thermal cross-linking device), an ultraviolet curing device (UV curing device), or the like. The thermal cross-linking furnace cures a coating layer made of a thermosetting resin by heating. The UV curing device comprises one or more UV lamps. The UV curing device cures a coating layer made of an ultraviolet curable resin by irradiating ultraviolet rays with a UV lamp.

The take-up unit 90 is a take-up capstan that takes over the optical fiber wire 5. The take-up unit 90 determines the drawing speed. The dancer pulley 100 corrects the difference between the take-up speed of the take-up portion 90 and the take-up speed of the take-up portion 110. The take-up unit 110 is a take-up bobbin that winds up the optical fiber wire 5.

Next, the method of manufacturing the optical fiber strand of the first embodiment will be described by taking the case of using the manufacturing apparatus 1A as an example.
(spinning)
In the spinning section 10, the optical fiber base material 2 is heated by the heating furnace 12. As a result, the optical fiber base material 2 is melt-spun to form the optical fiber bare wire 3.

(Measurement of outer diameter of bare optical fiber)
The outer diameter measuring unit 20 measures the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 and outputs a measurement signal to the control unit 70 based on the measured value.

(Direction change by direction changer)
The optical fiber bare wire 3 drawn vertically downward (first path L1) from the optical fiber base material 2 is oriented horizontally (second path L2) by 90 ° direction change by the first direction converter 40A. Be done. Next, the optical fiber bare wire 3 is directed in the direction opposite to the second path L2 by the 180 ° direction change in the second direction converter 40B (third path L3). Then, the direction is changed by 90 ° in the third direction converter 40C, so that the direction is changed vertically downward (fourth path L4).

As shown in FIG. 4, in the direction changer 40 (40A to 40C), the optical fiber bare wire 3 is discharged by discharging the fluid (for example, air) in the fluid reservoir 25 into the guide groove 21 through the outlet 22. Can be levitated. Specifically, since the pressure difference between the deep portion 21d and the shallow portion 21e of the guide groove 21 becomes large due to the released air, the optical fiber is caused by the action of an outward force in the radial direction on the bare optical fiber wire 3. The bare line 3 floats.

(Control of the moving direction and moving speed of the direction converter)
The control unit 70 receives the measurement signal from the outer diameter measurement unit 20 described above, and uses the movement mechanism 50 to move the second direction converter 40B along the X direction as necessary, and changes the speed of the movement. adjust.
The control of the moving direction and the moving speed of the second direction converter 40B will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. 5 to 7 are explanatory views illustrating the operation of the second direction converter 40B.

As shown in FIG. 5, the traveling speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 when the second direction converter 40B is stopped is defined as “V ₀ ”. “V ₀ ” is equal to the take-up speed of the optical fiber wire 5 by the take-up unit 90 (see FIG. 1).

As shown in FIG. 6, for example, when the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 becomes larger than the first reference value, the control unit 70 outputs a measurement signal corresponding to the measured value of the outer diameter, and outputs a measurement signal corresponding to the measured value of the outer diameter, and the second direction converter. 40B is moved in the + X direction (the direction in which the path length of the optical fiber bare wire 3 is lengthened). The moving speed of the second direction converter 40B is set to "V ₁ ". As a result, the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 from the optical fiber base material 2 (see FIG. 1) (the traveling speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 in the first path L1) becomes “V ₀ + 2V ₁ ”. As the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 increases, the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 becomes smaller. The outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 is a value corresponding to _{"V 1".}
On the other hand, the traveling speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 on the downstream side of the second direction converter 40B (for example, the traveling speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 on the third path L3 and the fourth path L4) does not change, and " It remains " _{V 0".}

As shown in FIG. 7, for example, when the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 becomes smaller than the second reference value, the control unit 70 outputs a measurement signal corresponding to the measured value of the outer diameter, and outputs a measurement signal corresponding to the measured value of the outer diameter, and the second direction converter. 40B is moved in the −X direction (the direction in which the path length of the optical fiber bare wire 3 is shortened). The moving speed of the second direction converter 40B is defined as "V ₂ ". Thus, withdrawal speed of the bare optical fiber 3 from the optical fiber preform 2 (see FIG. 1) is "V ₀ -2 V _2". As the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 decreases, the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 increases. The outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 is a value corresponding to _{"V 2".}
On the other hand, the traveling speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 on the downstream side of the second direction converter 40B does not change and _{remains “V 0} ”.

The control unit 70 can perform the following (i) or (ii). (I) When the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 becomes larger than the first reference value, the second direction converter 40B is moved in the direction of increasing the path length of the optical fiber bare wire 3. (Ii) When the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 becomes smaller than the second reference value, the second direction converter 40B is moved in the direction of shortening the path length of the optical fiber bare wire 3. The control unit 70 preferably performs both (i) and (ii).

As a control method in the movement control of the second direction converter 40B by the control unit 70, feedback control such as PID control is preferable. As a result, the movement control of the second direction converter 40B can be performed with good responsiveness.

(coating)
As shown in FIG. 1, in the coating portion 60, the coated optical fiber 4 is obtained by applying (coating) a coating material to the outer periphery of the optical fiber bare wire 3 to form a coating layer.

(Curing of coating layer)
In the cured portion 80, the coating layer of the coated optical fiber 4 is cured by heating, UV irradiation, or the like to obtain an optical fiber strand 5.

(Collecting optical fiber wire)
The optical fiber wire 5 is taken over by the take-up unit 90. The optical fiber wire 5 is wound by the winding unit 110 via the dancer pulley 100.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the optical fiber wire 5. The optical fiber strand 5 includes an optical fiber bare wire 3 and a coating layer 6 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber bare wire 3. The coating layer 6 may have a two-layer structure.

The manufacturing apparatus 1A includes a control unit 70 that controls the moving direction and moving speed of the second direction converter 40B based on the measured value of the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3. Therefore, the optical fiber bare wire from the optical fiber base material 2 is not affected by the traveling speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 on the downstream side of the second direction converter 40B (the take-up speed of the optical fiber strand 5). The withdrawal speed of 3 can be adjusted. By adjusting the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3, fluctuations in the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 can be suppressed. Further, since the take-up speed of the optical fiber wire 5 can be made constant, the conditions in the coating portion 60 and the cured portion 80 (manufacturing conditions of the optical fiber wire 5) can be stabilized. Therefore, the optical fiber wire 5 having more uniform characteristics in the length direction than the conventional one can be manufactured.

On the other hand, when the take-up speed of the optical fiber wire fluctuates greatly, the conditions for coating and curing the coating layer become unstable. Therefore, it is conceivable that the characteristics of the coating layer fluctuate in the length direction of the optical fiber strand. For example, when the coating layer is composed of a thermosetting resin, the coating layer may be insufficiently cured or the coating layer may be deteriorated due to overheating. Further, if the take-up speed of the optical fiber wire fluctuates, the thickness of the coating layer becomes non-uniform, and the outer diameter of the optical fiber wire may become unstable.

The manufacturing apparatus 1A includes a control unit 70 that controls the moving direction and moving speed of the second direction converter 40B. Therefore, by adjusting the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 from the optical fiber base material 2, the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 can reach the target value in a short time. Therefore, the responsiveness in control can be enhanced. Therefore, the outer diameter of the optical fiber wire 5 can be made uniform.

As a comparative form, a manufacturing apparatus for adjusting the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber wire by controlling the insertion speed of the optical fiber base material into the heating furnace is assumed (see JP-A-11-1347). This comparative form is inferior in terms of control responsiveness because it takes time to reach the target value of the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber wire.

In the manufacturing apparatus 1A, the optical fiber bare wire 3 can be levitated by the gas discharged from the outlet 22 in the direction converters 40A to 40C. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the optical fiber bare wire 3 from being damaged by contacting the inner side surface 21c of the guide groove 21.

In the manufacturing apparatus 1A, since the moving mechanism 50 can move only one direction converter 40 (second direction converter 40B), the apparatus configuration is simple. Therefore, it is suitable in terms of miniaturization of the device and cost reduction.

In the manufacturing apparatus 1A, the control unit 70 increases the path length of the optical fiber bare wire 3 in the + X direction (increases the path length of the optical fiber bare wire 3) when the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 becomes larger than the first reference value. Move in the direction). The control unit 70 moves the second direction converter 40B in the −X direction (the direction in which the path length of the optical fiber bare wire 3 is shortened) when the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 becomes smaller than the second reference value. Let me. As a result, the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 from the optical fiber base material 2 can be adjusted more accurately, and the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 can be brought close to a target value.

According to the manufacturing method, the light on the downstream side of the second direction converter 40B is controlled by controlling the moving direction and the moving speed of the second direction converter 40B based on the measured value of the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3. The lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 from the optical fiber base material 2 can be adjusted without affecting the traveling speed of the fiber bare wire 3 (the take-up speed of the optical fiber strand 5). By adjusting the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3, fluctuations in the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 can be suppressed. Further, since the take-up speed of the optical fiber wire 5 can be made constant, the conditions in the coating portion 60 and the cured portion 80 (manufacturing conditions of the optical fiber wire 5) can be stabilized. Therefore, the optical fiber wire 5 having more uniform characteristics in the length direction than the conventional one can be manufactured.

According to the manufacturing method, in order to control the moving direction and the moving speed of the second direction converter 40B, the optical fiber bare wire is adjusted in a short time by adjusting the drawing speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 from the optical fiber base material 2. The outer diameter of 3 can reach the target value. Therefore, the responsiveness in control can be enhanced. Therefore, the outer diameter of the optical fiber wire 5 can be made uniform.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing a schematic configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 1B, which is the manufacturing apparatus for the optical fiber wire of the second embodiment.
The manufacturing apparatus 1B includes a first direction converter 40D and a second direction converter 40E in place of the first to third direction converters 40A, 40B, and 40C. The configurations other than the first and second direction converters 40D and 40E can be the same as those of the manufacturing apparatus 1A shown in FIG. The same components as those of the manufacturing apparatus 1A are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The first-direction converter 40D reverses the optical fiber bare wire 3 drawn vertically downward (first path L1) from the optical fiber base material 2 by 180 ° direction change to the first path L1. Direct in the direction (second path L5). The first direction converter 40D is a fixed (non-movable) direction converter.

The second direction converter 40E directs the optical fiber bare wire 3 in the direction opposite to the second path L5 (third path L6) by changing the direction of the optical fiber bare wire 3 by 180 °.
The second direction converter 40E is a movable direction converter. The second direction converter 40E can move in the direction (Z direction) approaching and separating from the first direction converter 40D. The moving direction (Z direction) of the second direction converter 40E is a direction in which the path length of the optical fiber bare wire 3 is increased or decreased. Of the Z directions, the + Z direction is the direction in which the second direction converter 40E is separated from the first direction converter 40D, and is the direction in which the path length of the optical fiber bare wire 3 is lengthened. Of the Z directions, the −Z direction is the direction in which the second direction converter 40E approaches the first direction converter 40D, and is the direction in which the path length of the optical fiber bare wire 3 is shortened.

As the first direction converter 40D and the second direction converter 40E, the direction converter 402 shown in FIG. 3 can be used.

The moving mechanism 50 can move the second direction converter 40E in the Z direction along the guide rail 51.
The control unit 70 controls the movement direction and the movement speed of the second direction converter 40E in the Z direction by the movement mechanism 50 based on the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 measured by the outer diameter measurement unit 20.

In the manufacturing apparatus 1B, similarly to the manufacturing apparatus 1A (see FIG. 1), the traveling speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 on the downstream side of the second direction converter 40E (the take-up speed of the optical fiber strand 5) is affected. Without this, the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 from the optical fiber base material 2 can be adjusted. By adjusting the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3, fluctuations in the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 can be suppressed. Further, since the take-up speed of the optical fiber wire 5 can be made constant, the conditions in the coating portion 60 and the cured portion 80 (manufacturing conditions of the optical fiber wire 5) can be stabilized. Therefore, the optical fiber wire 5 having more uniform characteristics in the length direction than the conventional one can be manufactured.

The manufacturing apparatus 1B can enhance the responsiveness in the control of the control unit 70, similarly to the manufacturing apparatus 1A (see FIG. 1). Therefore, the outer diameter of the optical fiber wire 5 can be made uniform.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a schematic configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 1C, which is the manufacturing apparatus for the optical fiber wire of the third embodiment.
The manufacturing apparatus 1B includes first to sixth direction converters 40F, 40G, 40H, 40I, 40J, and 40K in place of the first to third direction converters 40A, 40B, and 40C. The configurations other than the first to sixth direction converters 40F, 40G, 40H, 40I, 40J, and 40K can be the same as those of the manufacturing apparatus 1A shown in FIG. The same components as those of the manufacturing apparatus 1A are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the first direction converter 40F, the bare optical fiber wire 3 drawn vertically downward from the optical fiber base material 2 is turned upward by 180 ° direction conversion. The second direction converter 40G turns the optical fiber bare wire 3 downward by 180 ° direction change. The third direction converter 40H turns the optical fiber bare wire 3 upward by 180 ° direction change. The fourth direction converter 40I turns the optical fiber bare wire 3 downward by 180 ° direction change. The fifth direction converter 40J turns the optical fiber bare wire 3 upward by 180 ° direction change. The sixth direction converter 40K turns the optical fiber bare wire 3 downward by 180 ° direction change.
The first to sixth direction converters 40F, 40G, 40H, 40I, 40J, and 40K are movable direction converters.

The first, third and fifth direction converters 40F, 40H and 40J can move in the directions (Z direction) approaching and separating from the second, fourth and sixth direction converters 40G, 40I and 40K. be. The second, fourth, and sixth direction converters 40G, 40I, and 40K can move in the directions (Z direction) approaching and separating from the first, third, and fifth direction converters 40F, 40H, and 40J. be. The moving directions (Z direction) of the first to sixth direction converters 40F, 40G, 40H, 40I, 40J, and 40K are directions in which the path length of the optical fiber bare wire 3 is increased or decreased. As the first to sixth direction converters 40F, 40G, 40H, 40I, 40J, 40K, the direction converter 402 shown in FIG. 3 can be used.

The moving mechanism (not shown) can move the first to sixth direction converters 40F, 40G, 40H, 40I, 40J, and 40K in the Z direction.
The control unit 70 moves the first to sixth direction converters 40F, 40G, 40H, 40I, 40J, and 40K in the Z direction based on the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 measured by the outer diameter measuring unit 20. Control the direction and speed of movement.

The control of the moving direction and the moving speed of the first to sixth direction converters 40F, 40G, 40H, 40I, 40J, and 40K will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13. 11 to 13 are explanatory views illustrating the operation of the direction converters 40F, 40G, 40H, 40I, 40J, and 40K.

As shown in FIG. 11, the traveling speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 when the direction converters 40F, 40G, 40H, 40I, 40J, and 40K are stopped is defined as “V ₀ ”.

As shown in FIG. 12, for example, when the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 becomes larger than the first reference value, the control unit 70 outputs a measurement signal corresponding to the measured value of the outer diameter, and the direction converter 40F, The 40H and 40J are moved in the −Z direction, and the direction converters 40G, 40I and 40K are moved in the + Z direction. The moving speed of the direction converters 40F, 40G, 40H, 40I, 40J, and 40K is defined as "V ₃ ". As a result, the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 from the optical fiber base material 2 (see FIG. 10) becomes “V ₀ + 12V ₃ ”. As the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 increases, the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 becomes smaller.
On the other hand, the traveling speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 on the downstream side of the sixth direction converter 40K does not change and _{remains “V 0} ”.

As shown in FIG. 13, for example, when the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 becomes smaller than the second reference value, the control unit 70 outputs a measurement signal corresponding to the measured value of the outer diameter, and the direction converter 40F, The 40H and 40J are moved in the + Z direction, and the direction converters 40G, 40I and 40K are moved in the −Z direction. The moving speed of the direction converters 40F, 40G, 40H, 40I, 40J, and 40K is defined as "V ₄ ". Thus, withdrawal speed of the bare optical fiber 3 from the optical fiber preform 2 (see FIG. 10) is _"V 0 -12V _4". As the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 decreases, the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 increases.
On the other hand, the traveling speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 on the downstream side of the sixth direction converter 40K does not change and _{remains “V 0} ”.

In the manufacturing apparatus 1C, similarly to the manufacturing apparatus 1A (see FIG. 1), the traveling speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 on the downstream side of the second direction converter 40E (the take-up speed of the optical fiber strand 5) is affected. Without this, the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3 from the optical fiber base material 2 can be adjusted. By adjusting the lead-out speed of the optical fiber bare wire 3, fluctuations in the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire 3 can be suppressed. Further, since the take-up speed of the optical fiber wire 5 can be made constant, the conditions in the coating portion 60 and the cured portion 80 (manufacturing conditions of the optical fiber wire 5) can be stabilized. Therefore, the optical fiber wire 5 having more uniform characteristics in the length direction than the conventional one can be manufactured.

The manufacturing apparatus 1C can enhance the responsiveness in the control of the control unit 70, similarly to the manufacturing apparatus 1A (see FIG. 1). Therefore, the outer diameter of the optical fiber wire 5 can be made uniform.

Since the manufacturing apparatus 1C includes a plurality of movable direction converters 40F, 40G, 40H, 40I, 40J, 40K, even if the moving speed per one direction converter 40 is reduced, the optical fiber bare wire 3 The withdrawal speed can be adjusted sufficiently. Since the moving speed per one direction converter 40 can be reduced, the derailment of the optical fiber bare wire 3 can be made less likely to occur.

Although the apparatus and method for manufacturing the optical fiber wire of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above example and can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
In the manufacturing apparatus of the embodiment, the control unit controls the moving direction and moving speed of the direction converter based on the measured value of the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber, while the control unit controls the moving direction and movement of the direction converter. In addition to the speed, the take-up speed of the optical fiber wire may be controlled. According to this configuration, the fluctuation of the take-up speed can be reduced as compared with the case where only the take-up speed of the optical fiber wire is controlled. Therefore, the conditions in the coated portion and the cured portion can be stabilized. Further, in the manufacturing apparatus or manufacturing method of the embodiment, at least one direction changer may be provided. A plurality of direction changers may be provided.

1A, 1B, 1C ... Optical fiber wire manufacturing equipment, 2 ... Optical fiber base material, 3 ... Optical fiber bare wire, 5 ... Optical fiber wire, 6 ... Coating layer, 10 ... Spinning part, 40, 40A to 40K , 401, 402 ... Direction converter, 20 ... Outer diameter measuring unit, 21 ... Guide groove, 22 ... Blowout port, 50 ... Moving mechanism, 60 ... Coating unit, 70 ... Control unit.

Claims (6)

A spinning part that melts and spins an optical fiber base material to form an optical fiber bare wire,
An outer diameter measuring unit that measures the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber
At least one direction converter that changes the traveling direction of the bare optical fiber, and
A coating portion that forms a coating layer on the outer periphery of the optical fiber bare wire,
At least one of the direction changers has a moving mechanism for moving the length of the optical fiber bare wire from the spinning portion to the coating portion in a direction of increasing or decreasing the length.
A control unit that controls the moving direction and moving speed of the direction converter by the moving mechanism based on the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire measured by the outer diameter measuring unit.
An optical fiber wire manufacturing device. The direction changer has a guide groove for guiding the bare optical fiber wire.
The optical fiber wire manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an outlet for introducing a fluid for floating the optical fiber bare wire is formed in the guide groove. The optical fiber wire manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the moving mechanism is configured so that one of the direction converters can be moved. A plurality of the direction changers are provided.
The optical fiber wire manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the moving mechanism is configured to be able to move a plurality of the direction converters. The control unit increases the length of the optical fiber bare wire from the spinning portion to the coating portion by using the direction converter when the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire becomes larger than the first reference value. Move in the direction of
or,
When the outer diameter of the optical fiber bare wire becomes smaller than the second reference value, the direction converter is moved in a direction of shortening the length of the optical fiber bare wire from the spinning portion to the coating portion. , The optical fiber wire manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4. In the spinning section, the process of melt-spinning the optical fiber base material to form an optical fiber bare wire, and
The step of measuring the outer diameter of the bare optical fiber wire and
The process of converting the traveling direction of the bare optical fiber by a direction converter and
A step of forming a coating layer on the outer periphery of the bare optical fiber wire in the coating portion, and
Have,
At least one of the direction changers is movable in a direction to increase or decrease the length of the optical fiber bare wire from the spinning portion to the coating portion.
A method for manufacturing an optical fiber wire, which adjusts a moving direction and a moving speed of the direction converter based on a measured value of an outer diameter of the bare optical fiber wire.

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